Apparatus and methods for using compressed codes for monitoring television program viewing
First Claim
1. An apparatus for television audience monitoring comprising:
- means for sensing that a television is on;
means for retrieving compressed codes from a received television signal, each compressed code having at least one digit, each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program, and each compressed code embedded in the received television signal containing the program;
means for determining a time duration that a first program is displayed by the television by measuring the time duration between a time of first retrieving a first compressed code representing the first program from the television signal and a time of first retrieving a second compressed code representing a second program from the television signal, if the means for sensing senses that the television is on, each compressed code having at least one digit and each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program;
means for decoding and expanding the retrieved compressed code for the first program into a channel, time-of-day, and date for the first program; and
means for storing the decoded channel, time-of-day, and date for the first program and for storing the measured time duration that the first program is displayed by the television.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for television audience monitoring includes an apparatus and method for determining that a television is turned on. Compressed codes, each representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of a channel and a time-of-day for a program are retrieved from a television signal received by the television. Each compressed code is decoded and expanded into a channel and time-of-day for a program. The channel and time-of-day for a program are stored when the apparatus for determining that a television set is turned on indicates that the television set is turned on. Alternately, the compressed codes are stored. The decoding and expanding of the compressed code into channel and time-of-day is performed as a function of the clock output. Upon command the stored channel and time-of-day for a program or the stored compressed code for a program are sent over a telephone line.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for television audience monitoring comprising:
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means for sensing that a television is on; means for retrieving compressed codes from a received television signal, each compressed code having at least one digit, each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program, and each compressed code embedded in the received television signal containing the program; means for determining a time duration that a first program is displayed by the television by measuring the time duration between a time of first retrieving a first compressed code representing the first program from the television signal and a time of first retrieving a second compressed code representing a second program from the television signal, if the means for sensing senses that the television is on, each compressed code having at least one digit and each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program; means for decoding and expanding the retrieved compressed code for the first program into a channel, time-of-day, and date for the first program; and means for storing the decoded channel, time-of-day, and date for the first program and for storing the measured time duration that the first program is displayed by the television. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for television audience monitoring comprising:
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means for sensing that a television is on; means for retrieving compressed codes from a received television signal, each compressed code having at least one digit, each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program, and each compressed code embedded in the received television signal containing the program; means for determining a time duration that a first program is displayed by the television by measuring the time duration between a time of first retrieving a first compressed code representing the first program from the television signal and a time of first retrieving a second compressed code representing a second program from the television signal, if the means for sensing senses that the television is on, each compressed code having at least one digit and each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program; and means for storing the first compressed code, and for storing the measured time duration that the first program is displayed by the television. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for television audience monitoring comprising the steps of:
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sensing that a television is on; retrieving compressed codes from a received television signal, each compressed code having at least one digit, each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program, and each compressed code embedded in the received television signal containing the program; determining a time duration that a first program is displayed by the television by measuring the time duration between a time of first retrieving a first compressed code representing the first program from the television signal and a time of first retrieving a second compressed code representing a second program from the television signal, if the step of sensing senses that the television is on, each compressed code having at least one digit and each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program; decoding and expanding the retrieved compressed code for the first program into a channel, time-of-day, and date for the first program; and storing the decoded channel, time-of-day, and date for the first program and storing the measured time duration that the first program is displayed by the television. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for television audience monitoring comprising the steps of:
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sensing that a television is on; retrieving compressed codes from a received television signal, each compressed code having at least one digit, each compressed code presentative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program, and each compressed code embedded in the received television signal containing the program; determining a time duration that a first program is displayed by the television by measuring the time duration between a time of first retrieving a first compressed code representing the first program from the television signal and a time of first retrieving a second compressed code presenting a second program from the television signal, if the step of sensing senses that the television is on, each compressed code having at least one digit and each compressed code representative of, and compressed in length from, the combination of channel, time-of-day, and date for a program; and storing the first compressed code and storing the measured time duration that the first program is displayed by the television. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification